The logo for the 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves. [Photo/The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves]

The 5th World Congress of Biosphere Reserves will be held in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, from Sept 22 to 27, marking the first time the once-a-decade event will take place in China and the Asia-Pacific region.

Guided by UNESCO and jointly hosted by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Zhejiang Provincial People's Government, the congress is expected to draw around 3,000 participants from more than 100 countries and regions.

At a press conference held in Hangzhou on May 16, the official logo of the congress was unveiled and the event's website was launched.

The congress will focus on the contributions of the World Network of Biosphere Reserves to global biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

Discussions will align with key international frameworks such as the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework, the Paris Agreement, and the International Decade of Science for Sustainable Development.

Launched in 1971, UNESCO's Man and the Biosphere Programme aims to improve the relationship between people and nature through science, education, and policy. It operates through the World Network of Biosphere Reserves, which currently includes 759 sites across 136 countries — covering about 5 percent of the Earth's land surface.